The Entanglement of Health, Race, and Resistance at the Mount Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Archaeologies of Health, Wellness, and Ability" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Childhood illness and death at Federal Indian Boarding Schools are one of the most tragic aspects of these failed institutions. Preventable communicable diseases spread like wildfires in the close-quarters and overcrowded conditions of dormitories. Racist policies maintained poor nutrition and hard physical labor also contributed to illness and injury. The experiences of chronic physical trauma denied Native American children of their wellbeing and personhood. Furthermore, the harsh treatment experienced caused psychological injury in what is now recognized as historical trauma. Oral histories, documentary evidence, and archaeological data at the Mount Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School show that students here suffered a great deal, however, they were also immensely resilient. In this paper, I will share an individual story of resistance in the face of serious health risk. I will also present how Michigan Tribes are seeking healing from the disastrous consequences of the boarding school.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Archaeologies of Health, Wellness, and Ability   •
• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 23294